Gas producer



March 4, 1924. 1,486,647

D. J1 SMITH GAS PRODUCER Fmed'mamh 29. 1920 3 sheets-sheet s.

March 4, 1924. 3.9486??? D, J. SMT

GAS PRODUCER Y March 4, 1924. 1,486,047 v D. J. SMITH GAS PRODUCER Filed March 29. 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I A TTU/F/YEV,

Patented Mar. 4, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID J'. SMITH, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

THOMAS G. TULLOCH, F LONDON, ENGLAND.

GAS PRODUCER.

Application nled March 29, 1920. Serial No. 369,514.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l, DAVID JOSEPH SMITH, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of 40 )Voodberry Grove, Finsbury Park, London, N. 4., England, have invented new andV useful Improvements in and Relating to Gas Producers, of which the following is the specification.

This invention relates to gas producers i0 and especially to the means of control of the operation or operations of gas producers, and more particularly to those mechanically or positively operated.

According to the present invention I provide means for automatically effecting certain operations of the producer electrically and I provide means brought into operation by the heat of the producer or of some part thereof, such for example, as a thermostat or a thermo-electric-couple for controlling such operation. 'The fan for blowing u the fire in the roducer at startin is electrically driven y means of suitab e gearing so arranged to give the desired speed and for the fan to be able to be hand operated if and wlien re uired.

e gas discharge valve is operated by a motor or electro-magnet coupled in circuit with the fan and so arranged that the valve is open when the fan is working, but closes when the fan is stoppled.

A thermostat or t ermo-couple is placed in one or all of the three following places (1) in the gas discharge pipe,

(2) in the water of the vaporizer or boiler,

(3) in the wall of the frebox of the producer in the zone of incandescence.

This or these thermostats or thermocouples are arranged so that on the desired temperature being reached, it maybe indicated on a dial (any usual form of electric thermostat or thermo-couple vmay be used) or by giving audible alarm, and the current to the :fari and s valve is cut off, stopping -the fan and c osing the as valve.l .The thermostats can be arrange to work in parallel or series and setto operate at given so temperatures, variable as desired. The operator thus has a definite .indication when the producer is fit to supply gas or the producer can be brought into action automatilcally when the desired temperature v is 56 reached.

For supplying gas to an engine of a motor vehicle, the driver (after the fire has been lighted in the producer in the usual manner) may switch the current on from the lighting or self-starting device to the producer circuit. On the fan being thus started the gas discharge valve may be opened and the fan would continue to rotate until the desired temperatures were reached. During this time, the self starter circuit, if the vehicle were fitted with this, would be interrupted. AOn the producer being fit to supply gas, the self-starter circuit would be closed by the thermostat and the driver could operate this and start the engine. A hand operated cut-out may be fitted, so that the self-starter could be operated if desired, independently 'of the thermostat control.

.When the producer is employed to supply gas for stationary electric lighting plants, the electric control of producer may be operated by a fall in the voltage of the storage batteries or by a sudden increase in demand upon the electric current su ply, serving to actuate an automatic switc This would first of all get the producer into working condition, as previously set forth, and then start up the engine either by a separate electric motoror y running the dynamo as a motor in the usual manner with automatic 85 lighting sets. Should the engine fail to start and the conditions in the generator change, the thermostat may be adjusted to break the self-starter circuit and to repeat the operation of fanning up the producer.

In order to keep the-quality of the gas,- supplied by the producer more constant and to preserve the fire at an equal tempera# ture, despite the varying demands upon the producer, I may arran e that the thermostat fitted in the wal of the producer in the incandescent fire zone, or that in the water of the vaporizer, shall control an air valve which will admit further air directly to the fire without passing through the vaporizer, thus lessening the quantity of steam-passing through the fire. If the fire tem rature becomes too high, this air valve will close and all the air admitted to the fire would have topass through the water vaporizer, thus takin up the maximum uantity of steam an tending to reduce t e temperature of the fire. If the temperature of the fire 'falls the air valve will be opened and more air admitted to no the feed of water to the vaporizer is positive by a pump or like mechanism, the thermostat on the vaporizer may be arranged to control the stroke or delivery of the pump to keep the water in the vaporizer or boiler at a desired constant temperature.

In producers employed for supplying gas for lighting or heating purposes, the electric control can be brought into action by a fall in pressure in the gas pipe from the producers or by mechanism actuated by the movement of a gasometer. For large installations and for dealing with peak loads, several producers may be installed in combination and those operating would be kept with fires alight, but not all working. As the load is increased, the non-working producers may be as herein described automaticall started up and take up the suply, an then as the load or requirements ecrease, be cut out automatically.

And in order that my invention may be completely understood, reference should be made to the accompanying sheets of drawin in which f igure 1- is a view in side elevation diagrammatically showing the producer, the engine, and the electrical apparatus and connections with the source of electrical energy.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation which illustrates the means for automatically operating the main switch by means of a fall in voltage in the batteries or electric connections.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in side elevation showing on an enlarged scale the pyrometric thermo-couple as connected to the walls of the producer and the means for automatically controlling the producer thereby. l

Fi 4 is a view in side elevation showing the t ermostatic-cou le as connected to the vaporizer or boiler or electrically controllin the feed of water to the boiler.

lgig. 5 is a view in side elevation showing the means for automatically controlling the supply of gas from the producer by vthe pressure in the outlet supply lpipe.

Referring to Fig.1, A is t e producer, B is the en e supplied with gas from the producer, (gilsl the attery or source of electrical energy. D .is an electric motor supplied4 with energytherefrom.

If the'producer and engine shown are used for ordinary industrial yor power purthe source of energy might for example be an electric light station. If the aplparatus shown is to be used upon a motor ve icle, the storage batterymay be that usually carried on motor vehicle for lighting purposes or the like.

The current is conveyed by the connections shown in Fig. 1 to the main switch E which may be either hand operated by the handle indicated or may be automatically operated as afterward described.

The current is then conveyed by the wires indicated to the electric motor D, the sh .It of which is directly coupled to the worm F which drives a worm wheel F1 which is mounted upon the spindleof the centrifugal fan or the like blowing means, the'casing F2 of which is shown. The fan within the casing F2 is also provided with the hand starting handle F 3 which is fitted with any usual one-way clutch in order to permit the fan to be separately operated either by hand or electrically. The fan or blowing means F? is connected directl 'to the ash-pan of the producer for supp ying f a thereto.

The producer A is fitted with one or more thermost'ats or thermo-couples and as shown in Fig. 1, three -of such thermostats are fitted to the producer to control its operations automatically. f

The thermostat T1 is connected in the outlet pipe for gas G leading from the producer to the engine or to a gasmometer or the like for lighting or heating if the pro ducer is pressure fed. The thermostat T* is fitted to the boiler B or vaporizer at the top of the producer and the method of operation of the thermostat T2 is further described with reference to Fig. 4. The thermostat Ta is fitted through the wall B of the producer and embedded in the firebrick lining the interior of same which is not shown.

When the predetermined temperaturefof either the water in the vaporizer, the fire in the producer, or the gas in the outlet gas pipe is attained, the respective electricthermo-couple causes contact to be made with the solenoid I-I which automatically controls the main switch E. This operates by means of the switch when startin the producer to cut oi'the current supp y to the motor working the fan, which stops, and the starting or blowing up action of the producer ceases. The gas waste valve I is then closed by the movement of the core in the solenoid J, which core is connected to the arm I attached to the gas waste valve I. The core of the solenoid J operates against the resistance of the spring K so that, the valve is moved in the opposite direction assoon as the solenoid ceases to operate by means of its core. Simultaneous'ly the main switch solenoid H by means of its cofe H1 makes contact with Athe contact H'land the current from the battery self-starter circuit for the engine can be o erated independently of the main switch a ready mentioned so that the driver can if desired set the self-starter in operation by hand, if the core H1 is making contact with the member H2.

It will be understood that these effects, namely, the starting operations of the producer and the self-starter a paratus -of the engine are obtained b eit er of the said two thermo-couples re erred to T1L or T.

N is an electric bell which is connected in the circuit in order to provide -an audible indication or alarm by means of the thermocouple T3 when the required temperature has been attained in the wall of the producer.

Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically an alternative arrangement or operating the main switch effected by means of a fall in voltage in the wires from the battery. The solenoid 0 has its core O1 normally held in position at the usual or-normal predetermined working pressure or voltage in the circuit by means of the spring O. When the voltage drops in the circuit the spring O moves the core overcoming the electric pull upon the same and closes the switch Os by movement of the core to which the switch is connected. The circuit being completed, the electric motor D in Fig. 1 is energized and the fan is started to commence the supply of air to the producer, the outlet or discharge valve I being operated in like manner at the same time.

in the producer and the temperature rises the fan and the gas valve are cut out of operation as before described by the thermocouple T; the engine self-starter then also comes into operation in the manner before described.

After the engine has been run suiciently and the voltage in the batteries and the supply mains rises to the normal or predetermined degree, the solenoid overcomes the resistance of the spring O and by the movement of the core O1, the circuit is broken byRmans of the 1iswitch l e erring to ig. 3, t e air supp y pipe P which is directlyconnected to the ash-pan casing of the producer A isitted with the throttle valve P, `The thermo-couple! T (which is also shown in Fi 1) and which as before stated is embedd in the {inebrick lining of the producer furnace is connected When the fire is suiciently -well alightv to the solenoid P2 so that when the tem erature in the furnace rises to the pre etermined degree, connection is made and the solenoid'P2 being then energized by the current from the source of energy C serves by the movement of its core to open the throttle valve P1 to admit additional air to the ashpan of the producer through the pipe P. The throttle valve P1 may be progressively further opened by the rise of temperature in the producer in this manner, so controlling the temperature of tlierrebed therein. When the temperature of the tire falls below a redetermined degree the valve l?1 for admltting additional air is closed. It will be understood that in normal working a certain amount of air is allowed to pass through the pipe P but the additional suply is `controlled by the thermo-couple T3 1n the manner described.

Referring to Fig. 4, the thermo-couple T2 (as shown in Fig. 1,) is litted within the boiler orv vaporizer A of the producer and is connected to the solenoid Q which is mounted on a bracket on the wall of the producer or adjacent thereto, the core in which is adapted to move against the resistance of the spring Q1. The shaft R in this figure is shown in end view. This shaft extends across the ash-pan of the producer and yserves to operate the fire-bars by means of the cams mounted upon the shaft. The shaft R drives the pump R1 Jtor the supply of the boiler by means of the crank pin R2 and the connecting rod R3. The solenoid core has pivotally connected thereto a slotted link R4 and the connecting rod Ra is pivotally connected at the other end of the said link. The plunger lrod R5 has its pin slidably engaging Within the slot of the link R/ so that as the solenoid core is electrically moved upwardly or downwardly against the action of the spring Q the stroke of the pump plunger rod R5' may be progressively varied in accordance with the position of the core in the solenoid Q, thus varying the quantity of water delivered by the delivery pipe R from the pump to the boiler A1 controlled by the thermo-couple T2. The supply of water i's therefore automatically controlled by the temperature ofthewater in the boiler.

Fig. 5 shows the means of control of the producer' by the pressure within the outlet as pipe S,l conveying the gas from the proucer to lthe engine or the like. The branch gas pipe S1 is connected to the diaphragm chamber S which contains secured midway in same, between the two portions of the chamber, a diaphragm of known and ordina construction whichr may be either of rub r or sheet metal. yThe under surface of the diaphragm within the chamber is ivotally connected by a rod at to .the lisver S which is fulcrumed on a b t at S5. On the short arm of the leveris suspended the weight S". The wires shown are connected with the circuit as described and shown in Fig. 1. When the pressure of as in the outlet pipe S is at the required pre etermined amount for running purposes the diaphragm overcomes the resistance of the weighted lever and keeps open the circuit of the electric control of the producer as previously described and shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Should the pressure fall owing to insuflicient supply of gas, the weights S" on the lever overcome the pressure of the diaphragm and the movement of the lever makes contact between the contacts S7, S, and establishes the electrical operation as previously described with reference to Figs. l and 2, thereby increasing the quantity of .gas produced inthe furnace by increasing the supply of steam and air and so restorin the pressure in the gas pipe S to the norma What I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A method of operating a gas producer, which comprises controllin the output of gas electrically and automatically in accordance with the temperature of the fire within the producer.

2. In combination with a gas producer, an engine, and electricall7 controlled means whereby to -simultaneous y connect the engine to the producer and disconnect the starting apparatus for said engine from the producer upon obtaining a predetermined temperature in said roducer.

3. The method o operating a gas roducer and an engine in combination, w ich comprises electrically and automatically controlling the operation of the producer in accordance with the demand made upon it by the engine so that the two devices may function as one power plant.

4. Apparatus for controlling a as producer, which comprises a source o electrical ener for operating one or more functions o the producer, a switching device associated with said source, and a temperature responsive means associated with the producer and actuating the switching device whereby the actuation of the source of ener is controlled by the temperature withm the producer.

5. A paratus for controlling the opera` tion o a gas producer in accordance with the temperature of the fire therein, which comprises a thermo-couple associated with the producer, a solenoid connected with the couple, a movable core in the solenoid, and an electrical circuit controlled by the core.

6. An apparatus for controlling the operation of a gas producer in accordance with the amount of gas being supplied thereby, which com rises a thermo-couple fitted 1n the gas out et from the producer, a solenoid having a movable core associated wi the thermo-couple, a source of ener for controlling the supply of steam an air to the producer, and a circuit controlled by the solenoid and connected with the source of energy. Y

7. Apparatus for controlling the' operation of a gas producer, which com rises temperature responsive means associated with the producer, an electrical circuit and apparatus controlled by the temperature responsive means, and an audible alarm associated with the circuit and operated under a predetermined condition of the circuit.

8. A paratus. for controlling the operation o a gas producer, which comprises a thermo-couple associated therewith, a source of energy, a solenoid actuated by the variation in the condition of the thermo-couple, a spring balanced core actuated by the solenoid, a slotted link connected to the core, a pum a. pump plunger connected to the link w ereby the supply of water delivered by the pump to the roducer may be varied in accordance with t e variation 1n the thermo-couple.

DAVID J. SMITH. 

